CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT OF THE STUDY

            Introduction

This chapter presents the background to the study, the problem statement, purpose of the study, study objectives, research questions, significance of the study, delimitations and limitations of the study, assumptions of the study, theoretical and conceptual framework and definition of operational terms.

            Background of the Study

School performance in early years encompasses intellectual, social and physical abilities of every individual learner. Development of these abilities in early years has potential to affect future achievements of children’s throughout their school period. Unfortunately, the rampant cases of domestic violence in Kenya have negatively socialized young children into a society of ridicule, revenge and survival for the fittest (Sambo & Isa, 2016).

Domestic violence has become a global and a widespread phenomenon that has affected millions of children lives globally (UNICEF, 2015). According to Miller (2010), when children learning is favorable, they get chances to various educational opportunities and experiences that are of great benefit to social development and positive relationship with peers and adults. Domestic Violence according to the Act on Protection against Domestic Violence (PADV) (2015), is any form of violence against a person, or imminent danger or a threat of violence

to that person, by other person with whom that person has been, or is in a domestic relationship. According to Abuya and Onsomu (2012), in domestic violence households, children are often involved as invisible victims who are exposed to the abuse.

According to UNICEF (2015), children in the whole world between 500 million and 1.5 billion are facing various forms of violence each year. However, 7 to 14 million children witness domestic violence at home (Edleson, 2009). Many of the extreme dangers of domestic violence are linked in early year’s period, when violence incidences can have an irretrievable influence on youngsters’ well-being and development (Richards, 2011). Studies have found that children’s exposure to domestic violence at home has a great impact of preventing young children from performing well in school according to Sterne and Poole (2010), hence affecting their educational outcomes.

Statistics from USA shows that 29.4% of children live in a family whereby domestic violence occurred in the last one year. In Philippines in the year 2009, it was estimated that around 3.3 million children were at risk of domestic violence in their homes. In Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (2005), found out that all the women who went through spousal violence, from the time when they were 15 years and had their children to care, in the course of that relationship, 59

% testified that the incidences of violence took place before their children. As a result, they were unable to provide the necessary stimulation to their school aged children (Levendosky & Dubay, 2009). Thus, affecting their school attendance and learning in school.

Domestic violence and child abuse is more dominant in the countries of sub- Saharan Africa, over 80% of children in these regions reported undergoing through violence at home. Study by Sherr, Hensels, Skeen, Tomlison, Roberts  and Macedo (2015), in Malawi and South Africa indicated high rates of community and domestic violence. In Malawi 28.5% of women reported being abused by their spouses while in South Africa 40% of women reported physical violence against them (Sherr et.al, 2015). Forty five percent of children in both of these countries were affected by the violence since they watched their mothers being beaten (Sherr et.al, 2015).

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